After The Storm
by snoopy-pie
Summary: Ron's Departure was hard to bear but out of the hurt arises a complication. This is a brief moment in time of what should have happened after Ron left Harry and Hermione in the tent. I might continue the story later. H/Hr and angst ;


_**These stories I am about to write are just small little glimpses of what might have been in the Deathly Hallows. There were many opportunities for Harry and Hermione to form a romantic bond rather than a friendship one and I wanted to explore that. I will not rewrite the entire book but thought I might "change" some of the scenes to make them more "Harmonious". I won't change a lot just the reactions of JK's characters in the situations she put them in and dream about what might have been. Harry and Hermione are perfectly suited in my opinion and I will always pair them together. I hope you enjoy my vision of some of these scenes and if you have any ideas be sure to let me know!**_

_**As always All characters are property of JK Rowling/Warner Bros. and I make no money off of writing stories about them.**_

_**Thanks for reading and please review.**_

_**Manda**_

The cold air rushed around his frigid body like something wild. His scar still burned but it had dimmed sometime during the night. He couldn't believe Ron had left them. He heard Hermione stirring around inside the tent and he gazed up at the shadowy sky. The day was dawning cold and dreary which mirrored his dark thoughts. This job Dumbledore placed upon him had cost him dearly and it was unfair. He heard Hermione's footsteps draw closer and he sighed heavily. He felt her gentle hand entwine within his and his heart gave a lurch. He turned his gaze to her and saw her sad little smile and her wild mane of hair flying uncontrollably in the wind and he frowned. His only hope was that the cost wouldn't be too great. He couldn't lose Hermione no matter the consequences.

Considering the previous evening Harry thought it best to not mention what happened with Ron and just squeezed her hand gently to let her know he would never leave no matter what.

"I managed to make us a little breakfast. Do you want to come inside?" Hermione's frightened eyes told him she was afraid he would desert her as well.

"Hermione…I wouldn't leave you. Not ever you know that…don't you?" His throat felt scratchy and raw and it hurt to know his other best friend had abandoned them to who knows what fate. However, Harry being who he was began to worry. What sort of danger would Ron find himself in if he were caught? He silently chastised himself for not noticing Ron's state of mind before he exploded. As always he blamed himself.

She hesitated and dropped her eyes to stare miserably at the cold ground. "I know that Harry." She said softly.

He gently wrapped his arms around her and tried to offer what small amount of comfort he could. Her thin body was warm and soft and for just a moment Harry wondered why it felt so natural to hold her like this. She laid her head over on his shoulder and together they wondered about the path that life seemed to be pushing them down.

He didn't realize it but his hand began to very gently rub the side of her arm. It was a natural reaction of course. When comfort is given and received it is inevitable that two people become closer. Harry and Hermione didn't bother to question this sudden intimacy. His arms pulled her securely to his own body and she snuggled in closely to him. It was a lovely moment between the two of them and they both were disappointed when the drizzling rain eventually forced them to break away and move into the small tent.

"I thought we could stay here for the rest of the day since the weather is so bad. I don't think it would matter much…do you?" She looked up into his eyes then and tried to give him an encouraging smile but she had a sick feeling that it was a poor imitation of one.

Harry sat down beside the little fire and looked at Hermione for what seemed like the first time. Her cloak was far from clean and her smile was forced but for some reason he thought she was the loveliest person he had ever seen, so he smiled at her.

"I think that's a good idea Hermione. Maybe we can think about the next step."

Hermione was at first taken back by the way he was smiling at her, and she was even a little shocked by how much it had affected her. But this was Harry, and Ron had just left. She gave herself a mental shake and tried to forget how warm she had felt in his arms. Nothing had prepared her for how wonderful it felt to have him hold her and comfort her. He had pulled her so close she could smell his scent and oddly enough it reminded her of something she had smelled before. It was something that she had attributed to Ron, but now she wasn't so certain. She couldn't explain it but perhaps she did feel something for Harry and her heart gave a guilty pitch. She shivered suddenly when the tent flap blew open and allowed the cold chill to permeate the small room making the blue fire flicker uncertainly. She pulled her cloak tighter as Harry jumped up to secure the flap and when he returned he sat down much closer to her. She looked up into his green eyes and for an instant she wanted him to pull her against him once more. He was hesitant but she stared intently at him until he wrapped his arm around her waist tentatively and gave her another warm smile that made her heart beat erratically.

It felt so natural to reach up and return his embrace and this time she was sure. This time she knew what this scent was. It was Harry. That potion all those months ago was telling her what she now knew. What a fool she had been. Hermione felt his other hand touch her hair before bringing his cloak to wrap around them both. Now she was fully enclosed within his arms his hands gently stroking her back and shoulders while she once again laid her head down onto his chest. She could hear his heartbeat and felt his chest rising and falling with each breath. Suddenly on impulse she rose up and very timidly breathed into his neck and he grew very still. For a moment she was afraid she had ruined everything but he did not pull away. Hermione was frightened. Where was this leading? She decided not to think but seized the moment and nuzzled his neck gently causing him to exhale a great lungful of air. She found that she liked his reaction and before she could change her mind she did something equally shocking. She very softly touched her lips to the hollow of his throat and for this she was rewarded with a low strangled groan from Harry. She froze when she felt his hand along the curve of her face and looked up into his eyes. They were darker than she remembered and her lips opened a little as Harry's head slowly drew closer to her. He stopped for an instant and gave her another little smile before lowering his lips down onto hers drawing her closer to him. She felt his hands entangled within her hair, his lips moving over hers and she realized that her assertion years ago that Harry could kiss was indeed a true statement. She had of course been kissed by Krum but nothing could compare with this total loss of control that Harry seemed to invoke within her. His lips were strong and she kissed him back showing him that she could match his vigorous assault on her swollen lips. Eventually, the kiss ended and as Harry looked down into her eyes she understood the meaning of passion. How did this happen? She was supposed to be in love with Ron and Harry…Didn't Harry love Ginny? Was he thinking of Ginny when he kissed her just now? This thought more than anything sobered her up. Whatever would happen now? How would they deal with this?

Harry didn't release her, but he did settle her more comfortably within his arms and her mind whirled from the intensity of how he had kissed her. Neither had spoken but what would they say to one another? Would they go back to being just friends? Hermione didn't know and she bit her lower lip that was still swollen and tingling from his kisses.

Before Hermione could voice her fears over what had just happened she heard him speak low and soft.

"Hermione…I'm sorry…I couldn't help it." He caught his breath when she raised her head to look into his eyes.

"There isn't a need to apologize Harry. I wanted it as much as you."

"You did?"

"So what happens now?" She asked quietly.

He turned from her then and pushed her away. The strain on his face clearly echoed her thoughts and fears. The uncertainty hung in the air between them like a heavy weight.

"Nothing happens." He said stonily. "You are better off with Ron. I'm…I'm a dead man." His voice was cold and Hermione reached out to him. She wanted to hold him like before. She wanted to comfort him, but he stood and walked away without another glance in her direction. She shivered when he opened the tent and disappeared. The realization that Harry didn't think he would survive hit her heart like a thousand slivers of ice. She slumped against the small chair she had been sitting beside and stared at the fire. Tears once again falling down her cheeks unheeded. The despair of where they were and what they were trying to do gripped her entire soul and she felt empty. There would be no life for her if they could not win. She tried to close her mind to the thought that Harry would not live. She tried to tell herself that if Harry died she would continue to breathe and love but she knew in that moment her heart no longer belonged to her. Somehow the friendship that she knew existed between them had grew into something more. She knew that he would not confess any love for her because he believed this war would result with his death. She curled up by the fire, where the forgotten breakfast she had managed to cook that morning lay forgotten. She was not hungry and she wondered if she would ever feel safe again.

Something had awoken inside of Harry the moment he had felt her soft lips beneath his. He knew he would be alone in the end but for one moment having her in his arms he began to believe he could have more. That was when he knew that his life would never be the same again. Ginny was easily dissuaded away from him and his mission, but this thing with Hermione was something he had not expected. Something he had not counted on which made things even more complicated than before. He looked up at the heavens and decided they would have to move on today regardless of broken hearts or promised futures. There could be no respite from his purpose and live or die it had to end one way or another. His heart lay heavy inside his chest as he tramped back into the tent and began wordlessly packing up their gear. Hermione followed him with her eyes which were red and swollen, before rising from the fire to pack up her beaded bag. Several times she would look up to see Harry peering through the trees or sometimes she would be the one to mutely look up hoping that the sound of a bird taking flight or the patter of a small rabbit was Ron stomping through the trees toward them with a hearty grin on his face. They were both deluding themselves about a lot of things, but Ron wasn't coming back and Harry cursed him for leaving and hatred for how Ron had hurt Hermione festered inside of him like a sore. He took one look at her when they were finished and reached out his hand. She looked out over the river bank one last time before grasping his outstretched hand and then the two of them disapparated.


End file.
